Television receiving antenna



2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 23. 1954 sai De@ 23, 195s N. C. POWUSONEIVING ANTENNA TELEVISION REC 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25. 1954United States Patent() M This invention relates generally to antennaeand more especially to indoor television antennae. It is one of theprincipal objects of the present invention to provide a simple, eicient,durable and inexpensive television antenna made of metallic tape, suchas aluminum `or the like, and adaptable for convenient adhesiveapplication to a ceiling, an attic floor or attic. ceiling, or to anyflat horizontal support made of dielectric material. Y.

A further object ofthe invention 4is the provision of an antenna of thecharacter described whose component parts can be marketed in kit formtogether with a simple chart and printed directions for orienting andinscribing a layout for the completed antenna on a support as aforesaid.

A further object is the provision of a suitable support for `the antennain its entirety which can be quickly and accurately oriented andpermanently mounted in any desired indoor location. l

A still further object is the provision of a television antenna made ofmetallic tape whose electric conductance provides high gain on both thehigh and ultra high frequency bands.

The foregoing and other objects will appear as my invention is morefully hereinafter described in the following specification, illustrated'in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a chart having printed thereon an installationdiagram, dimensions, and instructions pertaining to the installationofthe antenna.

Figure 2 is` a top plan view of the antenna applied to a iiat, portableand horizontally adjustable support.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view of a typical interconnection ofthe metallic tapes and their attachment to each other and to a supportby adhesive tape.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a dipole in tape form folded over onitself across the top and bottom surfaces of an adjustable support, afragment of which is shown in broken lines.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the terminal ends ofthe dipole and their connection to the lead-in wires.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings:

It is well known that each of the many telecasting stations now inexistence operate on different wave lengths. For example, channel 6operates on a predetermined wave length at very high frequency, Whilechannel 27 operates on a different wave length at ultra high frequency.Accordingly, the chart shown in Figure 1 must be followed to determinethe length of the metallic tape to be applied to the selected support.The rst element of the antenna to be applied to the support, whether itbe a ceiling or floor or the support shown in Figure 2, is thelongitudinal strip indicated at 2. The next two elements, which arenecessarily of equal length for the arrangement of the antenna shown,are the two directors 3 and 4. The directors are laid across thelongitudinal strip in electrical contact therewith and, ex-

' tend outwardly an equal distance fromboth` sides theretheir support.

of. The next element to be applied, also -in velectricalcontactwith thelongitudinal strip 2, is the reflector strip indicated `at 5. As shownin Fig. 3 the elements 3, 4 and 5 are'fastened to thepsupport by meansof theirre spective strips of adhesive tape 6 and the strip 2 is thencovered with the tape to also fasten it to thesupport. The adhesive tapeVmay be'of any suitable type such a's,` for instance,.paper vtape gummedon one side, Scotch Tape, or the like. The width of the adhesive tapeshould be twice that of the metallic tape,'and I have` obtainedsatisfactory, results by using metallic tape- I0nehalf inch.wide andadhesive tape one inch wide so .that

an adequate overlap of one-fourth inch is provided onf both sides of thetape to 'securely fasten vboth tapes to '7;y If, for example, the wavelength of the telecasting;

station involved is 137 inches, 139 inches of metallic;

i tape is folded about the support as best shown in Figure 4. Eachterminal endof the ldipole tape is turned ,at right angles as at 8 tothe under fold thereof a distance of one inch and is apertured as at 9to receive fastening screws and washers 10 by means of which screwslthe,

recommended lead-in wires 11 to the television receiving set areattached to the dipole and the ends ofthe dipole are secured to thesupport. A corresponding length of the adhesive tape 6 is applied to theentire length of the dipole, terminating just short of the terminal ends8 thereof as shown in Figure 5. The vertical spacing between theparallel folds of the dipole is not important so long as they do notcome into contact with one another. Therefore, a dielectric support ofany desired thickness can be used. This feature enables the antenna tobe applied to a ceiling or a floor as aforesaid by merely apparating thefolds of the dipole by one or more layersof heavy paper, cardboard, thinplywood, or the like.

The form of support shown in Figure 2 comprises a sheet of thin plywoodindicated at 12 having two corner apertures 13 at one of its ends and acentral `aperture 14 at its opposite end. This support along with theassembled antenna fastened thereto as aforesaid is rst attached to ahorizontal supporting surface such as a. floor or a ceiling or ahorizontal framework by a fastening screw 4extending through theaperture 14. This screw then serves as a xed pivot point for swingingthe support to` either side as shown in broken lines in Figure 2 toaccurately orientate the antenna by aligning the horizontal strip 2 witha sight-line to the telecasting station. Following this the support ispremanently secured in place by screws extending through the cornerapertures 13. This aligning could also. be done by checking a nearbyoutdoor antenna with a magnetic compass to determine its angularity indegrees from .any selected point on the compass. This method ofalignment can also be used when inscribing the horizontal strip 2 of thediagram on a floor or ceiling in accordance with the instruction chart.

As shown by way' of example only, the dimensions appearing on the chartin Figure 1 are for Channel 6, wherein the directors 3 and 4 must eachbe 621/2 inches long, the reflector 5 71% inches, and the total lengthof the dipole 139 inches, including its right angular terminal endsindicated at 8. The two directors must be spaced 17% inches from oneanother and from the dipole and the reflector spaced 311A inches fromthe dipole.

It is to be understood, of course, that the foregoing Patented Dec. 23,1958 With said elements lnow* fastened inv place, the support can beconveniently manipulatedfor,

. 3l dimensions are for one channel only and that they are variable toconform to thewave lengths of different channels.

While'y IUhave shown a particular form of rembodimentY ofmy invention-TIam aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselvesto others skilled in the "art without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. Havingv thus described my invention wliat Iclaim as new yand desire to protect by Letters Patent 1s: v l

- 1. Anl antenna for receiving television signals, comprising incombination a rectangular supporting sheet of dielectric material, astrip of electro-conductive tape attached to one side of said sheetsubstantially throughout the length thereof, a pair of transversedirectors and alreector electrically connected to said strip ofelectrocondu'ctive-'tape and arranged in parallel spaced relation toonelanother on the same side of said sheet, a dipole disposed betweensaid reector and one of said directors and electrically connected tosaid strip of tape, said dipole being folded over and under saidsupporting sheet and terminating on the opposite side of said sheet intwo terminals for attachment to lead-in wires of a television receivingset.

2. An antenna as in claim 1 wherein said supporting sheet has a centralaperture at one of its ends to receive Ya fastening element forpivotally attaching the sheet to a horizontal supporting surface forswinging the sheet to orientate the antenna by aligning said lengthwiseStrip of electroconductive tape with a sightline to the telecastingstation, the opposite end of the sheet being apertured at both of itscorners to receive fastening elements for permanently securing the sheetto said horizontal supporting surface in an orientated position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,631,236 Root' Mar. 10, 1953 2,667,577 Grazuano Jan. 26, 1954 2,714,161Featherstun July 26, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 387,215 Great Britain Feb. 2,1933 1,019,534 'France Oct. 29, 1952

